I have found a site that membership is free and you can make your own banners. It is easy to follow, and nice to have the power to design professional quality animated banner adds by you, for you! The banners are optimized and great for your favorite banner exchanges with friends or companies.

I would recommend before you start, creating a folder to save your banners in. If you donít know how to create a folder, I will list some easy instructions for you. 1) On your desktop (or wherever you want the new folder) right click and click on NEW and FOLDER. A new folder will appear. Type in the desired name of the new folder. Now, you have your folder and can begin building your banners.

Just go to AdDesigner.com and sign up for your free membership. Once you are logged in, a banner will display. If you donít want the displayed banner, just click on the Button that says: CHANGE ADD STYLE. A new page will appear that will offer a few more banner styles for you. To pick other banner styles you can do one of two things: 1) Click the arrow next to VIEW BY STYLE to pick your own category. Once you have picked the style just click the VIEW BY STYLE button and all the appropriate banners will display. The same process works for the GO TO button. You can also page through all the banners by just clicking on the button NEXT PAGE OF STYLES. Once you have found the Style of Banner you like, just click on the little radio button next to the add. Now, click MAKE SELECTION. Here is where you can change the Font, Size of Color of Fonts as you wish. If you choose, just go with the basics offered from the site.

Under HEADLINE, you will probably list the Name of the site. Usually you need two Text Lines. These are what grab the readers. I created a banner here for Sunlight of the Spirit (Headline Ė Name of Business). The text lines were: The Only Music Store on the Planet (Text #1), Offering Music From Artists in Recovery (Text #2). The point gets across from this. You may upload and include a logo if you have one. If not, just select NONE. Select your INTENDED USE FOR THE ADD. Click CREATE THE ADD.

Wondering how you save the add? I do it quickly, so I will offer this selection first. Just drag your mouse across the add so it highlights, and then right click on it. Click on SAVE PICTURE AS. A new window will appear probably displaying MY PICTURES from your computer. If you click on the arrow next to the folder being displayed (My Pictures), a drop down list will display. Click on the Folder you created earlier to Save your add. Rename the add to something that helps you know what it is. Walla~! You have your fist banner add. I would continue this process and make several for your friends to choose from. You can also click SAVE THIS ADD for more choices.

Be sure to watch for our next article on how to turn images into Hypertext Links. This will allow you viewer to click on the banner, and go directly to your site.